The Cry of Homework
by RavenClawson
Summary: It's Ginny's 6th yr & 1 question that must be answered: can she handle the stresses of Harry's faithlessness, the loss of her friend Hermione, her growing feelings for Malfoy, and finish her ridiculous amount of homework on time? Read review & ENJOY!
1. It All Comes Out

*The Cry Of Homework*  
  
Summary: A mistake is made between Harry and Hermione while Harry and Ginny are together. Harry wants Ginny, Hermione wants Harry but still wants to be friends with Ginny. Ginny wants Draco, but yearns for the normalcy of the past, along with Ron who wants to be friends with Hermione and Harry, but feels a need to comfort blood (Ginny).Heartache for all parties involved. Include angst-ridden teenagers, badly drawn out plots, and curious endings.  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing, but the plot... and few judges...  
  
CHAPTER ONE:  
  
Draco Malfoy was sitting in the library. This had not been the best of days for the Slytherin. He woke up half past noon and missed lunch, luckily it was a Sunday so he hadn't missed any classes, though he wanted to get a head start on his ridiculous amount of homework. He had to work twice as hard to get away from Pansy seeing as she did not understand the concept of working on weekends "especially when one could spend time with the love of one's life". He ripped a 4 inch long hole in his 2nd favorite robes, though they weren't his favorite they were still up there on the list and shouldn't have a loose thread off of them. Finally when he did manage to get to the library he was knocked into by the Weasley girl, who also had homework to tend to in the library and was so preoccupied she almost hadn't noticed, and all of his supplies were knocked from his arms. Although she did stop to help him it was still quite inconvenient, then she walked off the back of the library without any acknowledgement towards him at all. He had finally started working on his cursed Tranfiguration essay, when he heard some loud commotion at the entrance of the library. Looking up he noticed a confused Harry Potter bursting in following a maniacally irate Hermione Granger.  
  
"I don't understand!" Potter yelled, then realizing he was in the library and all eyes were turned on the two of them brought his shoulders up to his chin with an apologetic glance at everyone, more specifically Madame Pince. Granger turned sharply on him, eyes alight with fire.  
  
"Somehow I don't find that all too surprising considering your astonishing ability to comprehend." She whispered fiercely, surely meaning to be quite and keep it between the two, but her anger made even her whisper sound throughout the library. People's heads were turning now, most had dropped their quills or books or whatever they were handling to listen, even Draco, though he was being inconspicuous about it. This sounded like a lovers' spat though that should be impossible, for the whole of Hogwarts knew that the Harry Potter was with the one and only Ginny Weasley- they had been together for months now, and Hermione Granger and Ronald Weasley, though not official, surely had some underlining 'tension'.  
  
Harry glanced around again noticing all the attention they were getting. He grabbed Hermione by the elbow and led her to the back of the library where there were less people and there would be less attention in their direction.  
  
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Ginny Weasley woke up a quarter past one on Sunday. The moment she realized what she had done she knew it was going to be one of those days, and would have, gladly, stayed in bed only she had a riduculous amount of homework to tend to. Almost regretting the late night with Harry (just talking, with a few kisses on the side) she lugged herself out of bed and trudged into the bathroom for a shower, realizing how far behind she would be if she didn't start getting a move on. Ginny went into ultra-speed not concentrating on what she was doing just letting her body do the work, finished her shower, dried her hair, dressed, grabbed her things and did a beeline for the library. Right outside of the entrance she ran into somebody and knocking their books out of their grasp Only common courtesy kept her there to help them, but she was in too much of a daze to care who. Entering the library she looked for a spot in the back, knowing there would be too much going on the front for her to pay attention to her studies which she really needed to do. She had just put her quill to the parchment when she heard what sounded like fighting at the entrance to the library. Looking up she noticed it was Harry and Hermione. She closed her books and packed everything up, planning on being the mediator, knowing if that's what she were to do she could forget her homework, at least for the next hour. She was putting the only book she took out back on the shelf on the next aisle, when she heard:  
  
"I don't know what to tell you except I still do have feelings for Ginny." Harry's voice said. Then a sigh that could only be made by Hermione and:  
  
"I can't take this any longer Harry. It's wrong, I know. Forgive me for my reaction earlier, but I snapped. Really, can you blame me? Ginny's my friend, I care for her, I hate doing anything behind her back, but here I am and I hate it." Reverting back to her usual patient explanation.  
  
"It was one night a week ago, Hermione. What do you want to about it?" Harry replied trying to keep his patience, confused.  
  
"I- I don't know. I never expected to feel that way, not with you, but that experience meant something to me."  
  
Ginny had been holding her breath, she shouldn't be watching this, she should interrupt, make some kind of sound, do something! She couldn't move, all she could do was watch, and let the pain wash over her.  
  
Harry took a step closer to Hermione. "It meant something to me to, but I don't think I can take the risk."  
  
Hermione only nodded and made a move to walk past him and leave, but he grabbed her arm, pulled her toward him and kissed her sound and hard on the mouth. Ginny's jaw dropped and she could feel the tears prickling in her eyes and the lump in her throat, but she pushed it all back and walked to the end of the aisle. Leaning against the side of the shelf, arms crossed cool as can be she stood there watching, emotionless.  
  
"I'm sure it's none of my business what sort of torrid little affairs go on in the Gryffindor house, but I must say I thought you'd be smarter than to incriminate yourselves in such a scenario." Draco Malfoy, who had gone unnoticed even by Ginny, stood by the opposite aisle practically reflecting Ginny's cool demeanor. Harry and Hermione broke apart looking terribly guilty at Malfoy. He nodded to their feet, just inches away from where they were standing lay Ginny's bag. They both looked at the bag, Hermione paled and green complimented Harry's sickly look. Ginny took this as her cue to make her presence known to the two guilty parties. Clearing her throat, she smiled, but her eyes were blank. Gracefully, she moved forward, scooped up her bag took a few steps then turned back.  
  
"Congratulations, Malfoy," Malfoy looked at her befuddled, "I hereby give you authorization to terrorize the Mudblood and her pet rat." She sneered at Harry and Hermione, found she was tempted to spit at them, but found that just because she was upset she needn't lose face as a respectable student and she didn't want to take it out on the house-elf who cleaned floor. There was a glimmer of regret at calling Hermione such a terrible name, but she shoved it aside telling, herself they did much more to her.  
  
Harry and Hermione looked terrible. Malfoy had expected water works galore and was surprised to find her so calm and cool. Watching her as she exited the library, head high, hair bouncing, he had the sudden urge to follow her. Being one who would always follow his instincts he took one last savouring look at the two guilty Gryffindors and headed out, leaving his things to pick up later.  
  
Once he was outside of the library he looked down the hall left, then right just in time to see a flash of red. He ran to catch up with her, she was a quick one. Finally, he caught up to her when she started walking. Just the opposite of the girl that was in the library, her head down, shoulders slumped and shaking, no doubt from crying, and she was trudging away from the school. Slowly he approached not knowing exactly what he was or why. A few feet behind her he stopped. His mind was telling him to turn around now and go back to the library and finish or at least begin his ridiculous amount of homework, but before he could even move he called out to her.  
  
"Hey Weasley! Wait!" attempting to show neither coldness nor compassion, though compassion was still winning over in his voice, she probably didn't notice. Ginny stopped, letting out one last sob, she raised her head and shoulders straightening her back, and wiped her eyes as best she could.  
  
"Is there something I could help you with, Malfoy?" she responded coolly turning to face him. It had been obvious that she had been crying, hard. Her red, tearstained face regarded him almost superiorly. Draco was lost, he didn't know what he should do. One part of him was insulted by her audacity, another was pitying her, and another said he should just turn around and forget anything ever happened. Pity won over, unfortunately, though he was close to forgetting it all and walking away.  
  
"Actually, I believe I should be asking you that. Are you okay?" the sincerity shining in his eyes almost made Ginny want to break down and cry right there.  
  
"Malfoy, what makes you think I would believe you are sincere in this action?" barely keeping her voice from breaking. Malfoy shrugged.  
  
"Honestly, I couldn't tell you why I'm here. But I am human, and I do feel compassion, you seemed like you needed a shoulder to cry on. Figuratively, of course, these are my 2nd favorite robes." He brushed his sleeve, and smiled at her. She smiled and shook her head.  
  
"My every instinct says 'back away slowly.'" She paused, "My instincts have a tendency of wanting to screw me over." He laughed and walked up to join her.  
  
"Where you headed?"  
  
"I don't know."  
  
"So we're just walking?" she nodded. "Let me hold this for you." He took her bag. Surprised passed over her face before she went neutral. Silence fell over them, not comfortable, but awkward, quite awkward.  
  
"He told me he was falling in love with me." Ginny finally said just above a whisper. Draco, who had been looking at the ground as they were walking, looked up at her. She was looking off somewhere in front of her. "It was just that night, the one they we talking about. We were on a carriage back from Hogsmeade, I was looking out the window and he took my hand and told me he was falling in love with me. Then when we got back to the castle he said he had to meet Hermione, that they had to study for the History of Magic test that Monday." Draco, not knowing what to say, didn't say anything, just waited for her to continue. She stopped walking and turned to him. "Did you hear all of what they said back there?" He nodded. "And saw it?" Nod. She paused again, tears springing in her eyes. "She was walking away, Malfoy. She was walking away and he grabbed her." Ginny shook her head. "Why couldn't he just let her walk away?" tears were free falling now, she was huddling again, sobbing. Draco dropped her bag and puts his arms around her, trying to comfort her, ignoring that nagging at the back of his head telling him to stop, let go and run. A few minutes later she calmed a little, though she was still crying, she looked up to him and smiled.  
  
"I thought these were your 2nd favorite robes?" she said looking at him, joking through tears.  
  
"I lied. I ripped a 4 inch hole through them earlier today," he showed her the damage done to his clothes, "they are now my 6th favorite." She laughed.  
  
"I'm sorry, anyway."  
  
"It's quite alright, Weasley, just give me three more and a Quidditch team for my birthday and we'll call it even."  
  
"How about a drying spell, a heming spell, and a 10 galleon gift certificate to Weasley's Wizard Wheezes?"  
  
"Hmm, we'll work out the details later." Said Draco and gave her one more good long hug. He let go and they started on their way to the Quidditch pitch. They were sitting in the stands quite, still awkward but not as much as before.  
  
"Did you love him?" Draco asked tired of the silence and not wanting to play around with small talk. This was why he was here, to let her release to someone, after all. She sat there for a moment, her chin in her palm. Then she shrugged.  
  
"I'm 16. I don't know what love is." Came her reply, derisively.  
  
"If it were anything?" Draco persisted.  
  
"It it were anything? If I had to say? I'd assume love. Still, it doesn't mean much. Love is a two-to-tango thing. There's a slight flaw if he doesn't love me back." Silence. Stillness. Clearing his throat.  
  
"I'd best get back to the library. I left my things in there, thinking back, I shouldn't have." He stood up and made to move, but she grabbed his hand and stood up.  
  
"Thank you, Malfoy, very much. And I'm sorry for any inconvenience."  
  
"Geez, Weasley, you sound so formal." He laughed. She shrugged.  
  
"Thank you."  
  
"Your welcome." She gave his hand a squeeze.  
  
"Bye." He walked away and she sat down watching the sky and the trees and the pitch.  
  
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The sun was setting. Had she been out there that long? Almost time for dinner, her mind concluded. The thought came to her that she should just skip and go to her room, but her stomach overpowered her mind, reminding her that she had had neither breakfast nor lunch that day. Sighing, she picked up her bag and made for the Great Hall.  
  
Upon entering the Great Hall, she noticed that there were only five seats available at the Gryffindor table, all in the same area, by Harry. One in on either side of him(Ron being across from him and Hermione not being present), two the other side of Dean – who was a seat away from Harry, one next to Ron, and the final one was two seats away from Ron. What great luck hath passed thy way, she thought to herself, turning up a corner of her lips wryly at her failed attempt at Shakespearean. Heaving a great sigh, putting on a cheery façade, she smiled and waved to the people she knew. Luna in Ravenclaw, Sheena in Hufflepuff, Clarice in Ravenclaw, someone or other in Hufflepuff, nameless folks in Gryffindor, finally she took her seat farthest away from Dean, next to Euan Ambercrombie, a shy third year. Pulling food onto her plate she hadn't noticed Harry and Dean pulling a castle and switching places.  
  
"Hi, Ginny." Harry said quietly, making her jump.  
  
"Harry." She greeted coldly.  
  
"Listen, Ginny -..."  
  
"I'm here to eat, Harry, not converse, if you wish to speak to me about earlier you will have to get in touch with my assistant and make an appointment." Harry drew his eyebrows together.  
  
"Assistant? You have an assistant?"  
  
"Not at this moment, but I figure by the time I get out of Hogwarts and get a Ministry position with an assistant, I'll be cooled off enough to speak with you." She replied not once taking her eyes off her food.  
  
"Really, Ginny, don't make this more difficult than it already is. I just want to say-..."  
  
"I don't care what you have to say at this moment, I haven't eaten all day and I'd prefer not to have my apetite destroyed by your insensitivity. And it's your own fault things are so difficult. Now if you will leave me in peace to eat my dinner I will try to make time for you later, but as of now, I have a ridiculous amount of homework that I have yet to start, and I haven't had a bite of anything to eat all day. Common courtesy, Mr. Potter. Please leave." She finally looked at him with the last sentence, punctuating it with a bite of her food. Harrry sighed and switched with Dean once more and gloomily went back to eating his dinner. Ron clearly clueless.  
  
"What happened?" he asked Harry.  
  
"Nothing." Replied Harry, after sighing. Ron raised an eyebrow.  
  
"You two get into a row?" Harry nodded, knowing he shouldn't but he could hardly deny it. He was surprised the whole school hadn't started the rumours yet, even more that Ron hadn't heard anything. Ron was giving him the "spill it" look, and Harry answered knowing if he didn't find out from him he would find out from someone else which would make things ten times worse considering the lies that could be spreading at that very moment.  
  
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Draco had been in the Great Hall watching parts of the scene, he didn't really care much about what exaclty happened, he'd done his good deed for the day. Though he couldn't help his sporadic glimpses. Catching the trading of the seats and little parts of Ginny talking to Harry not that he could hear what they were saying. Then the switching of seats for a second time. Assuming that was the end, he went back to his dinner, listening to the conversations around him, not feeling up to joining in because he was mainly thinking of his ridiculous amount of homework. Just a few minutes later there seemed to be a loud explosion of a voice.  
  
"YOU DID WHAT!!!!" cried the oldest Weasley still attending Hogwarts. Malfoy saw Potter's lips moving, and being able to only assume he was pleading for his life was quite amusing just the same. Malfoy turned his attention to the younger Weasley, the female (he really must learn her name) and he could see that she was torn between amusement and exasperation. She put down her fork, got up and move across the table from her brother. In the attempt to calm him down she ushered him from the Great Hall looking down regretfully at her almost full plate of food. Both leaving Harry once again to wallow in self-pity. Malfoy almost felt sorry for him ... almost. The corners of his mouth turned up just barely.  
  
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Ignoring the pangs in her stomach from lack of food, she walked with Ron back to the common room.  
  
"Ron, listen to me, okay?" Ginny had her hands on his shoulders. "I know you're upset, and you want to fend for my honor, but this is my problem. We weren't meant to be. You couldn't possibly have expected Harry and me to live happily ever after, did you?" she looked at him. "You did, didn't you?" He looked sullen. "Oh, Ron. Even I knew the possibilities that it wasn't going to work between us. I'm not hurting." He looked at her in that way. "Okay, I'm feeling a little pain. But it's nothing that won't heal. It's something I'll learn from."  
  
"Gin, what he did was wrong. Hermione as well and if she were a man..." he shook his fist in the air loosely. "How can you possibly be so calm?" How was she supposed to answer that? She wasn't calm. She was hiding it. She was furious, but she still had a piece of mind. Harry needed Ron and vise versa. And the same for Hermione  
  
"So what, exactly, did Harry tell you?" She asked him wanting know as to not give too much away when she tried to cool him off.  
  
"He said you caught him and Hermione in an uncompromising position." He replied gritting his teeth.  
  
"You cleaned up the summary, didn't you?" He nodded.  
  
"Okay, listen, I'm fine. What Harry did was a mistake or maybe it wasn't but what is important is that it's my problem and I know you're my big brother and you want to protect me but you can't always do that."  
  
"But Ginny-..."  
  
"No 'but Ginny' Harry and I have to deal with this ourselves. You know that." Ron sighed in resignation.  
  
"I know that." His voice flat and dejected. He opened his mouth to say more, but Ginny cut him off.  
  
"Gin, what he did was wrong. Hermione as well and if she were a man..." he shook his fist in the air loosely, in his weariness. "How can you possibly be so calm?" How was she supposed to answer that? She wasn't calm. She was hiding it. She was furious, but she still had a piece of mind. Harry needed Ron and vise versa. And the same for Hermione, Ginny may have been Ron's sister, but she still felt as if she treaded where she didn't belong. Sure, it wouldn't be totally her fault if something happened between the three, but, oh, would she feel the guilt. She did what was best in situation such as this. Lie.  
  
"Ron, there was never really anything between Harry and I. I've seen this coming for a while. I'm only upset that I let myself be fooled. I practically gave him permission to see if there was anything between him and Hermione. It just backfired on me is all. Please don't blame Harry." Weasley, that was pathetic.  
  
"You're lying aren't you?" Damn. No other way around it.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Thought as much. I think you're loosing your touch."  
  
"It's just you and Harry and Hermione have been friends for years, and as much as I despise them right now and as much as I believe they should have the worst aimed at them, we've all got some hard times to go through, especially Harry. You were his very first best friend, his first friend period. You've got to stick by him. He needs you more than I do right now. I couldn't take the guilt of knowing that I was what came between you three."  
  
"But it wasn't your fault. You didn't do anything."  
  
"I feel like I did. I feel like if I hadn't tried to push myself into your lives none of this would have happened"  
  
"But you didn't –"  
  
"Ron just do me this favor. Please." A period of pondering passed, and Ron sighed.  
  
"You're right I suppose." He told her "But I can't make any guarantees."  
  
"All I ask is that you try." Ron nodded.  
  
"Although I have to say, do what physical damage you must first, just make sure he's still breathing ... regularly." She added as she grinned at her brother.  
  
"For you, Gin, I will."  
  
"Thank you." She gave him a kiss on the cheek, pretty difficult giving the height difference, then made her way back to the Great Hall.  
  
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Dinner was over and Ginny still hadn't come back for her things. Earlier when no one had noticed Draco summoned her bag towards him. He was the last one out of the Great Hall and he headed towards the kitchen in a hurry. Tickling the pear and grabbing a few leftovers, he made a quick beeline for the entrance of the Great Hall where he saw Ginny stomp in frustration at the door, not being able to make her way in, then start running for the stairs to Gryffindor Commonroom.  
  
"Weasley!" He called out to her after she got a few feet farther. She turned to face him and noticing he had her bag she ran towards him instead.  
  
"Thank you." She smiled. "Most of my work is in here. The professors gave a ridiculous amount of homework."  
  
"I know exactly how you feel, though, at least, I had time to work on mine today."  
  
"Yes." Ginny said frowning, thinking about how far behind she now was as opposed to this afternoon. "I suppose looking back I should have just done my homework instead of moping about."  
  
"Well, good luck, Weasley. Oh right." Draco said as if just remembering something important. "I saw you leave earlier, I figured you might be a bit hungry." He gave her the leftovers from the kitchen, and watched as her eyes grew alight.  
  
"That's twice in one day you've come to my rescue, Malfoy. I owe you, seriously." She took the food from his hand. "Oh, and if you could do me a tiny favor and not call me Weasley, I'd truly appreciate it. It's quite confusing really." She smiled sweetly at him.  
  
"What should I call you?"  
  
"Ginny."  
  
"Draco." He put out his hand and she shook it and laughed.  
  
"Well, I'd better go and try to reduce this ridiculous amount to a more tolerable amount. Bye and thank you again."  
  
"Bye." He called to her as she sped to her common room.  
  
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Out of range of sight and sound Ginny ceased her running and started to frown from befuddlement. She didn't know what was going on, too much had happened in one day. First Harry and Hermione, then Draco, and as if her personal problems with people weren't enough she head to worry about her ridiculous amount of homework as well. Why did Harry do what he did? How could Hermione do that to her? Why was Draco being so nice? What is the spell to tranfigure an animal into a shoe? And finally, what is the recipe for this Apple cinnibon? It's absolutely amazing!  
  
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	2. There Are Apologies and Frustration

CHAPTER TWO:  
  
IN WHICH THERE ARE APOLOGIES AND FRUSTRATION  
  
Monday morning brought about a cloudy sky and a melancholy mood. Ginny carried out her morning routine much like she had the day before, not paying attention, just going through the motions. Much to her annoyance, when she entered the common room there were only three students, two of which she strongly wanted to avoid for at least few more days . . . or years. Ginny, also, had the feeling that the third student would soon be on the "to avoid at least till summer break list". The three Gryffindors had been sitting quietly seemingly lost in their own thoughts, and Ginny hoped to be able to sneak out before being noticed, happy, for not the first time, that her hair helped her blend with the common room décor. A creak in the floor when she took a step off of the stairs and all of their heads flew up towards the direction of the sound. Cursing in her mind, she looked at them waiting for one of them to make a move. It seemed hours had passed in silence, in reality it couldn't have been thirty seconds, no one said a thing. Finally, Ron stood.  
  
"Morning, Gin." Her brows furrowed.  
  
"Good morning, Ron. Hermione. Harry." Ginny nodded at them, no matter how upset she was she felt she should still make an attempt at politeness. They greeted her as well. She sighed, it seemed she'd have to face the music much sooner than she had intended.  
  
"Well? Are you three just going to stand there all day? It's Monday, there's classes, and breakfast." Ginny attempted to keep her voice light and unaffected, unfortunately it was a little more snappish.  
  
"We have to talk to you Ginny." Said Hermione, a bit apprehensively, looking, not at Ginny, but at Harry.  
  
"Can it wait? I'm starved and would like to get breakfast in before class." Hoping desperately that they would hold off this talk, that would surely be deletrious for at least one among the four in the room.  
  
"I'm afraid it can't." said Harry looking at Ginny with those greens eyes that could do so much to her. She almost broke down there, but a strong voice in her head told her to keep calm and that's what she intended to do. She did not want their sympathy, she just wanted to get away.  
  
"What is it?" Ginny asked taking a deep breath.  
  
"Hermione and I stayed up almost all of the night discussing this problem. What we did and how we intend to handle it." Ginny quietly filled her lungs again, awaiting impact.  
  
"Ginny, you and Harry are my best friends. Hurting either of you was the last thing on my mind, but I lost control. I really don't know what to say, except that I hope you will fogive me. Your friendship means so much to me. Really." Said Hermione looking incredibly penitent.  
  
"And, Ginny, I don't know what came over me. I need you. I wasn't lying when I told you I need you. Please tell me you can forgive me. Please." Every part of Harry was crying out for forgiveness and Ginny was at a loss. Tears were welling up in her eyes and she was just barely shaking her head. Harry fell limp onto the arm of the chair he had gotten up from. Hermione already had tears sliding down her cheeks. Ron - who had been silent the entire time with the exception of the greeting, and who had been nearly forgotten – made his presence known once again when he walked up to Ginny.  
  
"Maybe you should forget about classes today, Gin, at least for the morning. Why don't you go back up to your room and sleep or something?" he told her leading her to the girls' dormitory. Nodding vaguely, she allowed herself to be led to the foot of the stairs. Slowly walking up step by step tears falling silently down from her eyes, she could hear her brother walking back to his friends.  
  
"She'll never forgive me." Said Harry's voice.  
  
"I'm sure she'll come around," came Ron's, "just give her time. That's all."  
  
But Ginny didn't want to forgive him. She knew she had to, but at the present moment forgiveness was not an option. She wanted both Harry and Hermione to suffer as much pain as she had to.  
  
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Ginny had been lying in bed all morning, drifting in and out of consciousness, hovering in the place between dreams and reality, neither being very pleasant. Around noon (it must have been, for who was at the door would not likely visit otherwise) there was a knock at her dorm door.  
  
"Ginny?" a cautious voice drifted in through the soft wooden barrier.  
  
Silence.  
  
"Ginny, I know you're in there."  
  
Silence.  
  
"Ginny, if you refuse to answer I'm going to enter anyway."  
  
Unfortunately, Ginny lacked the inner strength to answer, and really didn't care what Hermione had to say. So she laid there, and she waited. She could hear Hermione's soft padded footsteps on the carpet, coming closer until they stopped next to bed.  
  
"Ginny, I know you're not sleeping. I saw you this morning, I know there's no way you'd be able to sleep, at least not for long." Hermione pulled the bed curtains back and looked at the red head laying flat on her back eyes open, looking toward the ceiling. Hermione sighed.  
  
"I haven't been able to concentrate on my classes this morning and I've been thinking about a way to try to make things better. I can only think to apologize. And I'm not sure, that even my apology would be all that great." Hermione readied herself to try and make sense and logic out of something that was done of out of sheer thoughtlessness and bad timing.  
  
"What I did earlier was wrong, I know and I want to say that I wish it wouldn't have happened. I can't. We shouldn't have gone behind your back the way that we did and the thought never should have crossed our minds to betray you as we did. But I know that I never would have fogiven myself if I had let the chance slide. I can't speak for Harry. I only know that I only regret what my actions may have done to our friendship, but I can't stand by you and lie to you again." Hermione stopped and looked at Ginny again who hadn't moved a hair since she entered. "Will you say something? Give me some sort of reaction? At least to know you're alive?" Ginny only sucked in a deep breath to make the rise in her chest visible and let it out again. Lip quivering, eyes brimming with tears, Hermione slowly turned and exited the room, and Ginny return to her drifting.  
  
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Monday morning for Draco had been one event short of Hell, mainly caused by his working most of the night away on his ridiculous amount of homework. Not falling asleep until 4:20 a.m. and getting up at 6:47 had a tendency to make a person irritable. He finish most of his homework the night before only to have it piled right back up again by the end of his classes. He had gone clear through the day trying to concentrate on N.E.W.T.s preparation, but his mind seemed to wander onto every subject with the exception of study. Everything from that little hair right between Snape's eyebrows to why they seemed to always have foods with more salt than should be in the recipe to – the most poplular topic in Draco's mind and in conversations of a good lot of Hogwarts – the Ginny/Harry/Hermione scandal.  
  
Though it should have been the last thing on Draco's mind – he was above the thoughtless lies of the rumor mill – he couldn't help wondering about how they were all taking it. He'd notice both Harry and Hermione with bags under their eyes and looking as if neither had slept well, if at all, Ron looked as if he's had better days as well, and – though he really didn't know where to look with the exception of the Great Hall at meal times – he hadn't seen Ginny all day. There had been no Ginny at breakfast or lunch, and now that dinner had come and gone in her absence, curiousity was starting to engulf him.  
  
Half an hour after dinner, he made his way to the owlery. Driven by curiousity and something he wasn't quite sure of, though he was perfectly content with not knowing what was leading him to request the presence of this particular Weasley, he sent of the note he had scribbled minutes before. He'd only hoped he wasn't making a mistake.  
  
)::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::(  
  
Classes had ended and Ginny had made no attempt to move out of bed, nonetheless step foot outside her dormitory. The other girls stepped in to pick up books they may need for study and drop off those they didn't, but otherwise left her in peace considering the current predicament Ginny found herself in. Not that Ginny she would have paid attention to them anyway. No, this was her first dramatic breakdown and she was going to do it right.  
  
At 5:00, Lavender stopped by with homework that Colin had collected and given to her to deliver to Ginny since it didn't seem she was going to willingly make contact with anybody soon and boys weren't allowed in the girls' dorms. At seven o'clock Ginny received an owl. She would have preferred to ignore it, but the persistent bird kept pecking her cheek until she took it, and continued pecking her arm until she opened it and read it. Damn owl.  
  
Ginny,  
  
Meet me in the kitchens at 10:00 tonight if you're feeling up to it. If not, let me know that I'll be wasting my time before I have to meet you.  
  
Draco  
  
Ginny let out a long, suffering sigh, took out a quill and flipped the letter over. Of course she didn't want to meet him. Of all people – well of most people – she didn't want to meet him. Then again ...  
  
She took out a clean strip of parchment and let him know that he wouldn't be wasting his time.  
  
After all, he was there when all of this happened and hadn't mind listening to her earlier. Maybe all she need was to vent to someone who she didn't care being judged by. It was after all Malfoy, better him get a biased opinion of her than one of her mates.  
  
Watching the owl fly away out her window down into the night, she wondered if she was making a mistake.  
  
)::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::(  
  
Draco had a simple enough time getting out of his common room at 9:45 that night. Having spent the almost three hours since arranging his meeting with Ginny working on his ridiculous amount of homework, he had finished his Potions essay and half of his Transfiguration essay, though he still had a chart for Astronomy, an essay for History of Magic, a translation for Ancient Runes, and chapter to read for DADA. He found himself wondering how far along Ginny had gotten in her homework since the incident, if she'd been able to do anything at all considering she might not have gone to classes that day. Of course, he could just be making assumptions where he shouldn't be. Maybe she did go to classes and didn't go to meals because she had to work on impossible amount as well. If that we're true than he'd probably be wasting her time with all this. And he wondered, not for the first time today and certainly not for the last, why the hell did he bother? Damn it. Not exactly sure what he should be damning, but feeling the need to damn something just the same.  
  
He'd reached the kitchens, tickled the pear, comtemplating how many students really knew about this entrance, and entered. Taking five quick steps past the door he was halted by four house elves at his feet, inquiring as to what it was he need. Not much in the mood for food, but not wanting to insult the servants, he asked for an apple. Draco, having a huge bowl of fruit delivered to him only short time later, sat at the closest seat to the entrance and wait for the girl.  
  
The door opened not five minutes later to a harried looking Ginny. She looked as if she had just woken up, which as far as Draco knew, she very well may have. Her hair had the bed head look and not the attractive kind, her eyelids were droopy and she had a slouched posture much like the day before when she was crying. There were no signs of actual tears this time, though, not that she looked near as happy as she usually would or did or was. Hell, it's not as if he'd noticed anyway.  
  
Ginny took the seat right across from Draco, as if she knew telepathically where he was and where she should be. She hadn't looked around when she entered, hadn't even paused just moved. They sat in silence a little while longer. Draco feeling a bit squirmish under the silence, though he didn't show it, and if Ginny felt the same, she kept it inside as well. She only sat there; elbows on the table, chin in one palm, elbow in the other, eyes closed. He sighed.  
  
"When entering a room with persons already inside it would be polite to greet them." He spoke. She made no move to responde. He was about to lose his patience, which was already wearing thin by his own actions, when she spoke.  
  
"When one takes another out of a moping period it would be polite to explain why." She cracked opened one eye to peer at him.  
  
Damn it. "I didn't see you today. I was wondering how you were doing." He told her, not wanting to look at her, feeling embarassed by his sudden overwhelming sensitivity.  
  
Both her eyes were open now as she regarded him suspiciously. What was with this boy? Did he get hit over the head recently? Maybe she should recommend a visit to Madam Pomfrey.  
  
Though he was still not looking at her, he could feel her gaze on him. It was irritating, steady, silent, and pointless.  
  
"What?" Draco asked, more snappy than he'd have liked  
  
"Malfoy, how are you feeling? Has everything been going alright? Would you like me to take you to Madam Pomfrey?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Look, Draco, I don't know what's going on, but I'm here to help you." She got up and moved around the table to kneel on the seat beside him. Concern shining in her eyes, she felt his forehead and pushed his hair back. "Have you been experiencing headaches, blackouts, loss of appetite, anything?"  
  
"What are you going on about?" His voice was squeaky and exasperated and loud. She halted at his words. "I'm not sick or crazy, at least not in the sense you believe I am." She sat back and looked at him curious. He sighed through his nose. "I don't know." Draco said answering the question in her eyes. "Look, don't ask question, just be grateful you have somebody to talk to."  
  
"I can't talk to you if I don't trust you. I can't trust you if you don't anwer my questions."  
  
"I can't answer you're questions if I can't answer my own."  
  
"At least do this one thing for me. Swear to me by all that is truly dear to you that you are not trying to hurt me." She asked of him, looking determinely into his eyes. Feeling rather foolish by allowing herself to be so easily convinced by words of the enemy, but vulnerability and hard times can make people do foolish things at times.  
  
"I swear." He told her after a pause, mirroring her expression.  
  
Truly beginning to believe she was making a mistake she began to talk to him. "I didn't go to classes today. I had a discussion in the common room this morning with my brother and Harry and Hermione. It shook me up and Ron sent me back to my bed."  
  
"Have you eaten today?" She shook her head.  
  
"Haven't had much of an apetite." She looked up at him. "The thing is it's not all about Harry cheating. Though I suppose that's the lot of it. But Hermione was somebody I trusted. I told her everything and she was so supportive of my relationship with Harry. Then she turns around and stabs me in the back like this." Ginny was beginning to lose her temper thinking about all that had been done to her. "She came in to see me today, at lunch, I think. To apologize. She didn't even do that right. She only wished she could say she hadn't wanted it to happen. She only made it worse with that. I couldn't believe she could be so audacious about it! I lost my best friend to my boyfriend, who I was in love with and who I thought loved me back, but what am I to expect from a 17 year old boy after only being with him for 5 months, two weeks, 5 days and," she looked at her watch, "four hours and 3 minutes?" Ginny pushed herself up and out of the seat in exasperation, she missed Draco's questioning brow. "You'd think that of all people I'd know not to trust... but I suppose my actions could be justified, right? I mean who wouldn't trust any of those three?" she went on as if Draco wasn't there, for all he knew she probably forgot he was there. That is until she turned to him."I am without a doubt, a total and complete idiot." She stomped her foot and disappeared out of the entrance. 


	3. A Lot To Talk About

Chapter 3  
  
Ginny was out the door before Draco got a chance to say a word.  
  
"Thank you for taking time away from your busy schedule, especially your ridiculous amount of homework that you no doubt should be completing now." Draco said to the empty kitchen in a falsetto voice.  
  
"Well, it's not a problem at all, anything to help a fellow Hogwarts peer. Though you are correct I really must be going. You must have work to do as well. Good night." in his regular tone.  
  
"Good night." he answered himself, in what can be assumed to be Ginny's speech. He was about to leave when he heard a little voice behind him.  
  
"Should we be getting Madam Pomfrey, sir. We is sure she can help you, sir, if you has hit your head and is not feeling well, sir." Draco turned around to see three house elves looking at him in concern. He grunted and left without any further acknowledgement.  
  
"Oh, Ginny, you idiot. It's stress. That's it, you are stressed out." she sighed. "I need a vacation."  
  
Ginny took a pause in her self-admonishment to glare at the heavens where the sadistic Fates sat and looked upon her life – and laughed. Knowing that they were doing this, she bit her lip and squinted upwards, biting back actions that may make them angry, or worse, more humored than they already were.  
  
"Why must you repeatedly toy with my life?" She asked a little louder then she had intended to, though she hadn't thought it made much of a difference, that is, until an arm grabbed her around her waist at the same time that a hand clasped over her mouth. After a few muffled threats and a couple of aimless kicks, one which found something solid, she realized just who had her. She wasn't to pleased.  
  
"Ow! What do you think you're doing?" he hissed. "It's bad enough you're out of the common room passed curfew, but could you possibly be any louder?" Ginny turned to face Harry Potter himself. "I just saw Filch not 2 minutes ago going toward the Tower. I'm surprised you haven't already been dragged in by him. What are you doing out this late anyway?"  
  
"That is –" oops. Too loud. "That is none of your business." she repeated quietly.  
  
"Come on." he told her as he began to guide her by her elbow.  
  
"Stop. Stop it. Let me go." she hissed at him while swatting his hand.  
  
"Shh. Why are you so determined to get detention with Filch?" Harry looked back at her.  
  
"If you're coming down with me, I find it perfectly alright."  
  
"Really mature." Harry rolled his eyes. "What if we get detention together, eh? Then you'll have to put up with me for hours. Go ahead. Keep making a fuss." She pressed her lips together and yanked out of his grasp. He turned to look at her, but she had already passed him up. He followed, irked.  
  
They reached the Fat Lady and said the password (Hinklepunk). Once they were inside the empty common room, Ginny began to make her way to the girls' dormitory. Harry caught her sleeve. She didn't continue, but she didn't turn around either.  
  
"Ginny, we need to talk." She didn't move. "We can't just let go like this." She still didn't respond. He sighed. "Can't you just fogive me? It was a mistake. I'm never going to do it again. I don't want to do it ever again."  
  
"Liar!" Ginny finally turned around with fire in her eyes. "What about yesterday? Did you think I didn't see, didn't notice? Hermione was walking away! She was walking away, damn it! Do you think I'm blind? Do you think I'm stupid? That's it, isn't it? You think I'm stupid. I don't know what the hell's going on right in front of my fucking eyes! I'll bet this isn't the first time this had happened either, this is just the first time you've been this careless."  
  
"That's not true! You know that's not true! Yes, I admit, I kissed her, but it didn't mean half as much as it does when I kiss you. Last Saturday we were studying, we started talking about why she and I never got together and – and – one thing lead to another and we kissed."  
  
"That's all? It didn't go any farther?" Please tell me they didn't... Ginny didn't complete her thought desperately trying to avoid any more pain.  
  
"Of course not! We just kissed! I don't care about Hermione the way I care about you. I – I – I love you. Ginny." he'd said it. Oh, dear Merlin, he'd said it and he meant it. She could see the truth; hear it, the sincerity in his voice and she only felt more miserable for it. Why? She loved him. She'd said so earlier. She'd told Draco and Hermione, only those two. Two people whose confidences she held above others. Could she ever trust Hermione any more and how could she possibly trust Draco to begin with? And Harry? She'd loved Harry, but could she look at him the same after what she witnessed? It was after all just a kiss. No! It was ... horrible.  
  
She was going to be sick. And it showed.  
  
"We'll," she told him turning, "continue this later."  
  
Ginny headed for the her room and left Harry standing by the portrait hole. She made her way up the stairs and saw that someone moving in the shadows. It seems she wasn't the only girl who was saw fit to not abide by the rules tonight. Being a prefect she should investigate, but in her mood this was just one more thing to pile on the 'I don't want to do it, I don't care to do it, therefore, I won't do it' list - right up there with her ridiculous amount of homework, she noted with a groan and a mental 'boo!' as she entered her dorm and threw herself onto her bed.  
  
)::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::(  
  
Harry stood there watching her go up the stairs and disappear into the dark. A few moments later he stepped towards the couch, when something halted him. Somebody was coming down from the girls' dorms. Ginny? Maybe she changed her mind and wanted to talk to him now. She wanted to tell him she missed him terribly and wanted him back forever and always. Wait, this girl did not have red hair. This girl had brown puffy frizz.  
  
Hermione.  
  
Here we go. She was watching him the entire way until she reached the chair by the fire, not yet extinguished. The time it took for her to get from the top of the stairs to the front of the fire was agonizingly drawn-out. They didn't know what they were going to say, only that there were to be words between them. Whether those words were screamed or whispered, good or bad, simple or complicated that was up to what the moments wold bring. Hermione took her seat in the chair and waited for Harry to make a move of some sort. Hestitantly, he moved to sit on the couch adjacent to her, only then did she remove her eyes to study the intricate design of the hearth.  
  
"Well?" he prodded her. It was apparent she in more need of this discussion than he was. Though, don't be fooled, he had been waiting for this as well, but she wanted it more.  
  
"I see you're trying to resolve things with Ginny."  
  
"How much did you see?"  
  
"Enough." Hermione turned her full attention back to Harry. "All of it. I heard every word. And there was a little more than kissing, Harry, you know that."  
  
"Not that much more." His tone was a bit resentful, for the exact reason, she wasn't quite sure.  
  
"I'm not offended." As if she hadn't hear him. "But I don't think it's fair. Sure, I was the first to initiate it all, but I was willing to stop. You weren't. So I lose my friend. And what do I have to show for it?" her voice broke as she asked this, but she still wasn't crying – yet. "I still have feelings for you. Those didn't go away just because Ginny did."  
  
"I'm sorry. But what I said was the truth. You and I both know we can't help what we feel."  
  
"But we can control our actions. Something you didn't do. You hurt a lot of people, by your actions."  
  
"And I'm the only one right? It's all my fault, because I was the only one who let my emotions take over my actions. Is that correct?" Harry shook his head in disbelief. "In seven years, I've never known you to be such a hypocrite!" his voice lowered in rage as he spoke.  
  
"In seven years, I've never known you to be a dirty, cheating – " she began, lowering her voice to his tone.  
  
"Don't even start! Don't act like I'm the only guilty party. You said so yourself. You initiated it all."  
  
"I also said I was willing to stop it. You weren't."  
  
"I am now. I should have been right after it happened. I understand that, but I can't change that, I can only work with what I have now, which is another chance." Hermione raised her eyebrow to tht statement.  
  
"You don't know that she'll give you one." she pointed out just above a whisper.  
  
"I know, but it's not impossible that she will." And with that he left, got off the sofa and walked as fast as he could to his own room.  
  
Ginny had been bustling around since her meetings with Draco and Harry. She had fallen behind far enough (due to her own procrastination). Ginny woke up Tuesday morning determined to get back on track. Now, a few weeks later and her ridiculous amount of homework, that rose and fell continually, was down to one Herbology essay, though she had Potions and Arithmancy later on in the day, so that was highly subject to change.  
  
As this particulat point, Ginny was on her lunch break, and having locked herself up most of the week decided it was time to get some fresh air in the courtyard.  
  
"Ginny?" a voice behind her called. She knew who it was and she knew why he was calling.  
  
"Hi, Harry." she responded without turning around.  
  
"Hey. I didn't see you at the table. Did you eat?" he asked her as he sat down beside on the grass beside her.  
  
"No. I had a heavy breakfast."  
  
"Oh." Ginny noticed Harry didn't bring her any food. Silence fell upon them, uncomfortable to say the least, or maybe she was just overreacting. She had been doing her best to avoid encountering Harry and Hermione, and though it was not her intention, she found herself farther from Ron as well. He didn't seem all that great either. He'd been moping about as much as Harry and Hermione. All of Hogwarts had notice. Slytherins found this a justifiable cause to celebrate and mock, Ravenclaws saw this as another excuse to think Harry a no good scum of a boyfriend, Hufflepuffs felt sympathetic towards the Weasley siblings, though, not quite so warm to Hermione and Harry, and Gryffindors felt sympathetic towards all four.  
  
Ron had gone to Harry and told him that if he ever need to talk he could go to him, but that was as far as that went. Hermione was seen more often than not with her books and her books alone. And Ginny kept herself in her room, in the library, or in the table in the corner of the commom room.  
  
"I haven't seen you too much." Harry spoke. "How are you?"  
  
"Fine. I've been working on school. Surely,you understand with your N.E.W.T.s preparation."  
  
"Right." There was another short pause. "Look, Ginny, we need to talk. You know this."  
  
"I know."  
  
"Now?" Well, no use in prolonging the inevitable,right?  
  
"I suppose."  
  
"Ok." Harry looked at her. She was sitting with her legs crossed hair, falling in ginger strands across her face, playing with a blade of grass. He wondered how he could possibly have hurt her. Ginny had been nothing but good to him and if he got another chance he'd never let her go again. He loved her, more than he ever thought he could love her.  
  
"I've had a while to think about this. Really think about this. I mean sit there for impossible periods of time and try to find a way to do something so incredible that it would just erase what happened. Needless to say that in all my creative glory, I came up short. Now, if you were a different girl, I probably would have gone out to buy you something really nice and really expensive, but I know you're not the type to be bought. Short of getting down on my hands and knees and begging while kissing your feet – which if you will give me a few more moments of your time, I'll get to that part – I came up with a list of reasons to persuade you." Harry reached into his pocket and took a folded up piece of parchment.  
  
"One, I miss the in-depth conversations we had at one in the morning about all the different reasons the professors have for assigning us ridiculous amounts of homework at one time. Two, I miss the smell of your hair when you lean against me. A sweet, soft smell that I could never place and never want to, because thinking about what it could gives me another reason for you to stay on my mind. Three, I miss the times we used to sneak away from anyone and everyone for just five minutes alone. Four, I miss the way your hand seemed to fit into mine. Five, I miss the look in your eyes when I've done something inadvertently right or good. And finally, number six, I miss all the wholes that have empty parts now that you aren't so close." He finished the list, folded it up, and placed it in his pocket. Gently, he uncrossed Ginny's legs so that they were directly in front of her and positioned himself on his hands and knees.  
  
"I am so sorry." He looked her in the eyes as he told her this, then quickly lowered his upper body to kiss each shoe once. "I beg of you, please forgive me." Once again he kissed both of her shoes. "I am on my hands and knees kissing your shoes. I need you. I love you. I mean it more than ever. For very near a month, we haven't been together. And it seems like forever. Please take me back." Harry punctuated each sentence with a kiss on each shoe and Ginny didn't know whether to laugh or cry or just kick him in the face. How dare he be so sweet and kind and ridiculously romantic and expect her to just come crawling back? How dare he! Oh, how she missed him. Tears were slowly sliding down her cheeks, as she whispered three words that she had been dying to say for weeks and had been dreading to hear come out of her mouth at the same time.  
  
"I forgive you."  
  
It felt so good and it hurt so much, but everyone deserved a second chance. Didn't they? Even cheating ex-boyfriends? Did that go for lying, deceiving best friends as well? She'd have to think about it. Hard.  
  
Harry's face lit up and his green eyes shown brightly behind his glasses and under his locks of dark hair. He pounced on her like a puppy dog and she fell back onto the grass laughing as he kissed her.  
  
A week after that gift of a day, when the happy couple had been reunited, things were going as smoothly as things could go for only being recently patched up. Ron and Harry were on general speaking terms. Ginny and Harry were starting to spend more and more time together, and Ginny got to spend more time with her brother. Ginny rarely ever thought about Malfoy. Aside from the few times she'd seen him in the corridors or glanced at him in the Great Hall, and wondered about that second in time a month ago. If it would ever mean anything, or if it were an ant stepped by someone not watching where they were going.  
  
Yes, everything was going back to the good old times, with the exception of the tension between Ginny and Hermione. The two girls were seperated by a rift that could possibly never be repaired.  
  
On this gray Wednesday, the students were at dinner and Harry, Ron, and Ginny were sitting together, Ron across from the other two, and Hermione was a few more seats away, out of hearing range.  
  
"Are you ever going to talk to her?" Ron asked, mouth full of one dish or another, looking down the table at the girl playing with her food.  
  
"Well, at the present moment, I'd say – no. To save both you and myself from any future questioning: at any other moment, I'd still say no."  
  
"Ginny –" Ron was about to go into an eplanation – possibly detailed – on why she should try to talk to Hermione. Ginny didn't want to hear it.  
  
"Listen. Ron, as much as I would love to hear a summarized lecture on the importance of friends that Mum and Dad used to feed us, I have a ridiculous amount of homework to do and I really ought to get started on it now."  
  
She put her fork down, said her goodbyes with a kiss on the cheek to Harry (it was starting to come naturally again) she grabbed her bag and head toward the library.  
  
)::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::(  
  
The past weeks ran together for Draco. Everything was work, work, and more work, and then some dodging Crabbe, Goyle, ands Pansy. Really the hero- worshipping got old after 7 years. Admittedly, if he had better worshippers or if he was a different kind of guy, it might have been more fun, but they weren't and he wasn't and it was just plain irritating. Goyle and Crabbe always praising his good looks, was quite frightening from a heterosexual point of view, and Pansy always telling him how intelligent he is only made him wonder how smart he really was when a person who actually did make a 'T' on her O.W.L.s, and didn't seem like she was on the road to improvement had to point this out.  
  
It was dinner, but Draco was in the library, a ridiculous amount of homework weighing on his mind, he had a few bites of chicken and left. Now, he was working on a Herbology essay that should be fifteen inches of parchment; though at the moment, it was only about two, and it didn't appear to grow any longer as he stared at it. It's too bad that being a wizard didn't mean a damn thing when it came to bull shitting your way through a fact-based essay.  
  
Draco had been balancing his chair on its hind legs, staring at those two inches for about a good quarter hour, when through the library door came a red-headed girl in a daze, definitely not in the mood or state to do homework. She took a seat in a chair at a table beside him but didn't seem to note his presence until he lost his balance and fell on his back, creating a raucous pound in the quiet library. 


	4. She Who Always Has The Last Word

CHAPTER 4  
  
"Ow." was all he said as he rolled off the chair onto his stomach.  
  
"Oh, gods!" Ginny cried starled. "Malfoy? Oh, Draco, are you alright?" she asked him, holding back her laughter until she was sure he was ok. "Are you hurt?"  
  
"A little sore, but I'll live."  
  
"Good." she nodded then allowed herself to release the laughter she had been holding in, replaying the the image of him on the floor.  
  
"I'm glad somebody finds my pain amusing." he tells her getting back into his seat.  
  
"It's not exactly your pain that's funny. What's funny is that you lack the grace to sit in a chair." she calms her residue giggles.  
  
"Hmm." was all that he responded with, whether he was lacking the energy or want to say something more, the answer didn't occur to him.  
  
Draco was back in his chair, while Ginny still stood over him looking at him queerly.  
  
"Why are you looking at me funny? You're the one who ran out on me in the middle of your own explanation."  
  
Ginny looked abashed, "Oh right, sorry about that one."  
  
"Eh." he shrugged. "You ought to be." This would have upset her, if it wasn't for the fact that he had nothing behind his voice, they were just words.  
  
Draco would have gone back to daydreaming about finishing his essay, but he noticed her shadow was still across his parchment and wondered what could she possibly still be there for.  
  
"Is there anything I can help you with?" he asked her.  
  
"Come walk with me?" she asked as she tilted her head.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Come walk with me. I'm really not in the mood for homework, you don't seem to be either, and I think we both need air." Draco looked at her wondering why. Ginny looked at him not really knowing why she'd asked, but at the moment she didn't care. She was in the mood for an evening stroll and he happened to be a person in the vicinity that she was willing to walk with. "Please?"  
  
He closed his essay into his book and stood up, motioning for her to lead the way. They walked out of the library in silence, down the corridors and stairs and out into the night not saying a word. They didn't want to speak, neither wanting to talk about a subject to personal for fear of scaring the other one away, but neither of them wanted to bring up a topic to impersonal either, for fear of sounding plain silly. Instead they walked side by side not saying a word, taking turns guiding each other this way and that, until finally they found they were back where they started, at the steps of the school. How long had they been walking for? A half hour? Two hours? What time did they leave? What time was it now?  
  
Draco sat down on the top step, Ginny followed after a half moment and they both stared out to nowhere or anywhere.  
  
"So how's it feel," Ginny started, "to know that in a small number of months you can go through those gates and know you never have to come back?"  
  
Draco inhaled and threw his head back so he could see the school behind him, upside down.  
  
"Funny, peculiar. Practically seven years of living here and I get kicked out. Of course not in such harsh terms, but you understand. Not that I really mind leaving, this hasn't been the best place. But it definitely hasn't been the worst." He'd held his head back examining the outside of the school, but his eyes saw through the walls. His mind's eye looked inside every corridor and room he'd ever seen inside that school, which didn't account for half. Memories came back to him, not all of them wonderful, and not all of them heart wrenching. A bunch of twists and turns on the roads of happiness and despair. Ginny wanted to ask what the worst place was, but she had that feeling that it wasn't a pest filled hut in some country he went to on some misrepresented paradise vacation, and she didn't want to ask if it wasn't.  
  
"I heard you and Potter got back together." Draco turned to her once he stopped reflecting.  
  
"I figured. Who hasn't?"  
  
"Are you happy now?" he asked. It was an honest question.  
  
"I guess." she shrugged.  
  
"You guess?"  
  
"I guess," she repeated. She didn't elaborate and he wasn't going to make her.  
  
"Something's been bugging me lately." Ginny stated to get off the subject of her and Harry, she didn't like talking about things she didn't understand. "You never did tell me what it was that made you follow me that day and what made you want to talk to me. You never told me why you let me confide in you."  
  
"You never told me why you trusted me to confide in." he responded.  
  
"I was desperate?" more of statement. "I had two of the people I trust the most lie to me I figured it didn't really matter anyway. You don't really know me, so I couldn't have care less what you judged of me."  
  
"And now?"  
  
"What do you mean 'and now'?"  
  
"What do you think now?"  
  
"What makes you think my thoughts have changed?"  
  
"You said 'couldn't have cared' not 'couldn't care', one implies past feelings."  
  
"A slip of the tongue, didn't have to have meant anything."  
  
"But it did. Didn't it?" Draco asked more unsure than he sounded.  
  
"Yes." she whispered.  
  
"And now?"  
  
"Now, I don't know what to think. You aren't such a bad guy. Maybe I do want you to accept me."  
  
"I accept you. If you do me."  
  
Here the corner of her lips turned up. She could have made this more complicated and used words like 'takes acceptance to want to be accepted,' but she didn't know if that was true and she didn't want to make a fool out of herself in front of him just yet.  
  
"Of course, I do." He gave a little smile, as they looked at each other, both trying to decide what should happen next. Luckily, or unluckily, Fate decided to step in for them and the door flew open. Harry almost walked over them. When he looked down he saw Ginny and Malfoy sitting next to each other, looking up at him. His face showed bemusement, but he hadn't said anything.  
  
"Uh," Ginny shot up. "Erm, Malfoy and I were just – sitting. Prefect business, we were discussing. We're done, now, though. Come on. I think I left my books in the library." She told Harry as she grabbed his arm and dragged him inside. Before closing the door she turned back, said, "Bye Malfoy. Glad we worked that out." and mouthed 'sorry' right before closing the door.  
  
Draco waited a moment before going inside himself. Harry and Ginny were on their way up the stairs and Draco could still hear their conversation.  
  
"I don't like you being around Malfoy alone."  
  
"Oh Harry."  
  
"Don't 'oh Harry' me. He's a bad guy, Gin. One of the worst and I don't want my girlfriend to be subjected to his evil ways."  
  
"Harry, you sound ridiculous, and even if what you say is true, he can't to anything to me in Hogwarts."  
  
"That's the kind of attitude that makes everybody worry about, Gin." here she sighs and they turn the corner. Draco decides to wait before going up the stairs behind them to avoid running into them anymore tonight.  
  
)::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::(  
  
"That's the kind of attitude that makes everybody worry about, Gin." here she sighs and they turn the corner.  
  
"Really. He isn't as bad as you all say he is."  
  
"In what world?"  
  
"In this world. He – oh, never mind."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Nothing. I said never mind."  
  
"I know what you did say I want to know what you didn't say."  
  
"It's just, he's just not as bad as you say he is. He really rather nice." All of a sudden, Ginny feels a hand on her forehead. She stops and turns to Harry.  
  
"You're not sick are you? Did Malfoy hex you? Was there any point when you weren't facing him?"  
  
"Harry. Shut up."  
  
)::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::(  
  
Later that night, after she had gotten her things from the library and left Harry for the privacy (if you could call sharing a room with four other girls privacy) of her room, she allowed herself thinking time. She contemplated her relationships with Harry and Draco and Hermione. Being back with Harry wasn't all that it was before they split. It wasn't as fun and relaxed, things just didn't flow right. She hadn't exactly expected to pick things right back where they left off, but she hadn't expected it to be this difficult either. Ginny also found Draco was taking up much of her thinking space. He'd been so nice and he seemed to have changed. She had to wonder why. Sure, there could be many reasons. He grew up, his father died, he lost a pet, for whatever the reason she wanted to know but the last thing she would do is pry. Well, at least not yet. Anyways, now he was kind of sweet. It was a bit unnerving, but very nice, so was he, attractive as well, quite attractive.  
  
This wasn't right she shouldn't be thinking about him this way. He was off limits, totally, and so was she. Gryffindors, Slytherins; Weasleys, Malfoys; they didn't mix and weren't supposed to. And she had Harry! She had Harry. She had Harry. Little did Ginny know she would be repeating this mantra for the next week at least. But she had to do something and found she had the perfect plan and she would carry through with it tomorrow.  
  
Patience was not a virtue of Weasley...  
  
):::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::(  
  
Draco awoke to the sound of snoring in the bed next to his. It was 5:56 a.m. and he did not want to be awoken just yet. Rotten luck for him, the snoring would not cease and he could not fall asleep with the animalized sound constantly reverberating in his ear.  
  
As he began to get ready for this new day, thoughts of the night past came back to him. He remembered walking with Ginny and talking to her afterwards. He remembered Ginny defending him when Potter went on about how bad he was. Was she defending him? Or was she just trying to keep Potter from fretting over her? They were friends now weren't they? Oh, what did it matter? Draco had other people. Er, Crabbe and Goyle and Pansy. Okay, bad examples. Erm, that Zabini character was always good for a few laughs. What about that giddy little guy? Was he even in Slytherin? What was his name? Henry ... Ernie ... oh right, Victor, Victor ... Heckler, or some such name.  
  
Alright, point received, he needed new friends. Although who was to say this Weasley girl was the right one for the job. Ginny seemed a little off when he'd seen her at times. Her background didn't to much to confirm her sanity either, with those twins and that pompous little prefect fellow, then the Muggle-crazed father and worst of all that annoying sidekick brother of hers. She did make some sense when he spoke to her though, the few times he had spoken with her.  
  
By seven, he grabbed his morning classes' books and headed toward the Great Hall for breakfast. As he reached the doors a hand tugged at his arm and he turned to see Ginny Weasley at his elbow.  
  
"Come with me?" she asked looking at him with pleading eyes.  
  
"It's breakfast."  
  
"I know, but I have to talk to you, and I don't think it can wait until later."  
  
He sighed. Why is it that whenever they had to have a talk it was either homework or food that had to be sacrificed. Why couldn't they ever speak when nothing was to be done and they were just lounging around on a lazy afternoon?  
  
"Lead the way." he said and she did surprisingly fast for her height and the weight of her books. She walked knowing exactly where she wanted to take him.  
  
Once she checked to make sure nobody of consequence was inside the library, they entere and proceeded to the back.  
  
"Look familiar?" she asked when they reached a certain spot. It was the same area that Harry and Hermione were caught.  
  
"Why did you want to come here?" Draco asked bemused.  
  
"So you do recall." Ginny turns to look at him. "I suppose I wanted to create a little irony I could call my own."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Draco can I tell you that I'm not a utterly happy being back with Harry as I ought to be?"  
  
"No, but I suppose it doesn't matter much now, does it?"  
  
She takes one hesitant step closer to him, "I want more. Better. I want better than Harry."  
  
"Well, I could say Potter is a great guy and any girl would be lucky to have him; however, I won't. Dump the bastard."  
  
"Do you think you're better than Harry?" she questions and he looks at her curious and suspicious. A blind man could see what was coming. Did he want it? "Of course. I didn't think that I should have to be questioned." she answered for him.  
  
He looks at her as she takes another step closer to him. Her eyes lowered demurely.  
  
"I've been thinking. A lot. About you. I think – I think that I want to try something." She looks up at him and takes one last step, blushing. Now, she moves quickly before he can move and she can change her mind. Their lips crash together. Both feel so good and it's only a bit odd. It's not as if neither of have never kissed anybody before, it was only that they'd never kissed each other. In the back of their minds, under the pleasure of the kiss, they wonder if they should feel guilty or wrong, or if they should push the other away. None of those thoughts are really allowed to surface, though, and Ginny's falling, while Draco is flying. What a way to start the day!  
  
Neither wish to stop, however, someone in the front drops a book and Ginny jumps away. Now the kiss is over and those thoughts in the back are surfaced and must be sorted through.  
  
"Oh gods. I'm so sorry. I'm not quite sure what could have possibly caused me to do this. I have to get to class." Exit, stage left, Ginny.  
  
"Classes don't start for another thirty minutes." He says, maybe she hears maybe she doesn't, he can't tell. "Why is she always the one who has the last word?!"  
  
)::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::( 


	5. Zabini or Snape?

THE CRY OF HOMEWORK  
  
CHAPTER 5  
  
"Great idea! Didn't you learn anything from Ron? You have to think before you act!" Ginny thinks aloud as she wanders through the halls before classes, experiencing a sense of déjà vu. Her feet take her past the portrait of the Fat Lady just as Ron is exiting – for he has forgotten his potions text and wouldn't dare enter Snapes classroom without it. Though Ginny's feet – and the rest of her body – is in front of the Gryffindor common room her mind is twenty minutes or so behind on a certain Slytherin who shouldn't be anywhere near her thoughts.  
  
"Ginny!" Ron calls taking notice of her, "I'm glad I caught you. I wanted to talk to you about Malfoy." Ginny spins aroung at her name being called and hopes she doesn't look as guilty as she feels. Ron can't read minds, she repeatedly reminds herself.  
  
"Wh-what about him?" Ginny inquires, scratching her ear lobe.  
  
"Harry told me last night that he saw you and him alone outsdie. Some sort of 'Prefect's discussion?'"  
  
"Yes, Ron, for I am – to my knowledge, at least – a Prefect, as is Dr-ay- Malfoy." Ginny finishes blinking rapidly.  
  
Ron squints at her. "You were going to call him Draco, weren't you?"  
  
Ginny's cheeks pinked from her being caught, but she wasn't going down without a fight. "Why would I call him Draco? His name's Malfoy, isn't it? The name by which we call him? Because we surely wouldn't call him Weasley [here she giggles nervously]. Because you know he's a Malfoy." she finishes breathless and nervous.  
  
Ron's eyebrow is raised, "That was a disgrace. What happened to you? What happened to the Ginny Weasley I know who could lie without batting an eyelash?"  
  
Ginny sighs. "You know it was only you I can't lie to," hoping for this long shot of a subject switcher.  
  
Ron grins. "Yeah, well, you're forgetting one other person. Harry."  
  
Ginny grins as well. Success! of some sort, but at the sound of Harry's name she feels her cheeks warm in guilt. "Come on. Let's get to class."  
  
Ron's grin falls, and he looks at his watch. "Bloody – I'm going to be late!" he yells taking off. "Bye Ginny, sorry I can't walk you!"  
  
"Bye," she laughs.  
  
"No more alone time with Malfoy! I don't trust him!"  
  
She gives a tiresome cry after him, but it was likely he didn't hear it.  
  
):::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::(  
  
Once again, Draco finds himself unable to concentrate on Professor Snape. Lucky for him this is a lesson of lectures on some potion or another. Draco's thoughts, however, were centered on Ginny Weasley. The Gryffindor who had more control over him than he preferred to acknowledge. This, he is not happy with. This, he loves. He is touched by her. He knows this, but he doesn't understand it. What Draco needs is someone to talk to but who? Who can he talk to and ask for advice? Crabbe and Goyle could hardly understand could they? Maybe they have experienced a situation resembling this in the past? A quick glance to the left shows Crabbe is cleaning his toenail with a quill and to the right Goyle is swatting his nose in his sleep, flinching and mumbling something about biscuits. Well there goes that idea. Being emotionally touch by someone else seems a bit too deep for them at the moment. Maybe in a few years...  
  
For the next 40 minutes Draco sits and ponders who to speak to about his little situation and he's narrowed it down to ... Zabini and ... Snape. Well...  
  
"Mr. Malfoy, please tell the class what the combination of caterpillars, ginger and knotgrass should make."  
  
"I'm sorry, sir?"  
  
Snape looks deeply disappointed. "Please, pay attention Mr. Malfoy."  
  
"Yes, sir. Sorry, sir."  
  
"Not fair. That'd lose up at least five points." Ron whispered to Harry a little too loud.  
  
"Five points, Mr. Weasley, for sticking your nose where it doesn't belong." Snape sneers as he says "nose" as if he wanted to add something more offensive, like "overgrown" or "speckly," or something more mature and degrading.  
  
"As if he should be talking about other people's noses." Ron mutters.  
  
"What was that?"  
  
"I said 'who knew that jar opens again when it closes.'" He points out a jar on the desk that Snape was just using before speaking to Malfoy. "You really should fix that. Someone could get hurt." Snape squints his eyes but before he opens his mouth, the bell rings signalling the end of class and giving him his cue to assign a sixteen inch essay on the dream potion he has been lecturing on all hour.  
  
"Malfoy!" Ron calls as they walked out of class. "I don't know what going on, what went on last night, if anything's going on at all, but I do know that I don't want you anywhere near my sister. For any reason." Draco opens his mouth to tell him that he doesn't give a damn about his sister, but he doesn't get the chance, because Ron cuts him off with, "That was your warning," and turned to continue to his next class.  
  
Damn! Now this was neither right nor necessary! Ronald-bloody-Bilius!- bloody-WEASLEY! had gotten the last word! Not only had he gotten the last word, but he had gotten the only words! There was laws against this stuff! True it wasn't written, print black and white, but it was common law! Birds fly, fish swim, Malfoys get the better of Weasleys. ALWAYS! Always, always, and always.  
  
He should forget her. He should. He should. He really should. But he can't. He better have that talk soon. Tonight. But the question still stands. Zambini or Snape?  
  
):::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::( 


	6. Something that has to do with stress

**_CHAPTER 6_**

Ginny sits in a chair by the fire, attempting her homework, when Ron comes in. Classes are over, and Harry hasn't come back yet.

"Have you seen Harry?" Ginny asks of Ron when she sees him sit down across from her glaring at his books that are on the floor, elbows on his knees. No doubt N.E.W.T.s cause him a ridiculous amount of homework as well. When he doesn't answer, she asks, "Are you waiting for your books to apologize to you for being so full?"

His brooding look deepens, "They should," he mumbles.

"Even if books could speak I don't think they would apologize for supplying you with so much knowledge. That is, knowledge you'd have if you read them." Ginny tells him, vaguely reminding him of someone she knows, but prefers to push that thought away. Fortunately, Ron in all his perceptive glory and tact, picks up on it. He turns his attention to Ginny.

"You sounded just like Hermione."

"Wonderful," and she wonders if he'll pick up on her sarcasm. He does.

"You really should to talk to her."

"No. I really shouldn't. And where is Harry?" she asks, remembering she hasn't seen him since lunch and he should be back, at least to drop off his books. He shrugs, not looking at her. "Ron." she warns. "I know you know where he is." He still looks, not at her, but at his feet. He really must get new shoes, and he really must tell her. He wonders if the latter is true. "Ron. Where is Harry?" Finally, he does look up at her, and sighs.

"After class he told me he was going to talk to Hermione." he gave up. Ginny froze. Somehow she didn't care, and, then again, she was terribly furious.

"Where?" she asked. Well, it was more of a demand, but …

Ron knew that tone, it was the calm before the storm, but he really didn't know where they were. He wonders if she'll believe him before telling her he doesn't know.

"Where." A hint of more force, but still rather calm.

"I really don't know." he declares, a bit angered that she doesn't believe him. He won't lie to her. He'll ignore her like hell, but he won't lie to her. Ginny glares at him. She knows he really doesn't know, but he could have found out. Or maybe it's jut because he's there and she has to direct her anger somewhere.

Abruptly, she stands, letting the books on her lap fall to the floor. One last look thrown at Ron and she runs out, in search of her boyfriend and - her lip curls in disgust - the girl. She stops at the top of the stairs for a moment and contemplates where they may be. The problem is she can't think straight. Looking ahead of her she sees a portrait of a young girl and boy spinning in a field, they couldn't be older than seven. There are students at the end of the hallway. Students that are coming up the stairs, students that are on the other sets of stairs. She's thinking of what Harry and Hermione could be doing. If they really are only talking and what they could be talking about. Dozens of areas around the castle fly into her mind. What they could be doing flies into her mind.

Suddenly, Ginny feels sick. The students that were coming up the stairs are beginning to blur as they walk past her and look at her, strangely, she assumes, for she can't exactly see their faces. One of them asks if she's okay, and vaguely she nods. Hesitantly, after a moment they carry on and she's left with the portraits that are spinning and flipping. Everything around her is moving so fast.

She has that Potions essay on the floor of the common room. Ron's probably angry with her now. Harry and Hermione. Kissing Draco. She doesn't want to look down. She closes her eyes and shakes her head to clear her mind, but when she opens them again, everything is worse. The world is spinning faster than she can stand and she doesn't. Her knees lock and everything goes black, but not before the stairs rise up to face and she hears a scream that doesn't belong to her.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

_Zabini or Snape?_ When it was lunch, Draco is vaguely aware of the fact; when it was dinner, Draco was vaguely aware of the fact. When he was in class he was vaguely aware of the fact. The cause of his barely there state? He was still thinking of Ginny, and whom he could talk to about her. Neither of his choices are very good. He doubted Zabini would be able to do anything but laugh. He doubted that he'd ever experienced anything like Draco feels now. He wondered what Snape would be able to tell him. Snape wouldn't laugh, but what would he think of Draco? That was the only thing that had stopped Draco from throwing the thought of Zabini out of his mind. Now, though, he has his decision and wonders if it's the right one. One thing really clinched the decision. Snape wouldn't tell all of Hogwarts. It was settled. Draco would try and talk to Professor Snape tonight, after dinner.

So that is what brings Draco to Professor Snape's office immediately following dinner.

"What is it you need, Mr. Malfoy?" Snape asked, not looking up from the recent essays the fourth years turned in the day before. Draco sat across from him in the chair on the other side of the desk.

"It's actually something personal professor. I need your advice." Now the professor's attention was caught. It wasn't very often a student come to him with personal matters. It wasn't often a student came to even complain to him about their grades for fear of him, or annoyance.

"Oh?"

"Yes. Actually, I'd much prefer it if you didn't speak to anyone else about it."

"Do you think that I want material to go into the faculty room and gossip with Professor McGonagall and Professor Sinistra?"

"Well, no, Professor, it's just a concern of mine." Draco shifts uncomfortably. Severus knows this look. _Damn_.

"This is about a girl, isn't it?" Draco's face tells him all he needs to know; a blind man could see that. He sighs, _Poor kid_. "I'm sorry, Draco, but this isn't exactly my area of expertise."

"Would - would you mind just listening to me, Professor. It's all I need. Just a few minutes?"

_Don't do it Severus. You don't have time to listen to the whinings of a hormonal teenager. _A voice inside tells him_. Look at all those essays. They're burning to be marked_ _with red_. He ignores the voice and puts down his quill. There's something about this young man that Severus empathizes with. He leans back in his chair. "Well, go ahead. I'm listening." _Damn_. But Draco smiles.

"Well, there's this girl, obviously. I've only just become interested in her, and I can't understand why. She's average looking, she's not _exceedingly_ intelligent, she's poor. She's almost childish, but she has this aura of maturity that she emits sometimes. I don't even really know her, but I want to. She just has this ability to draw me in to her. If it were anybody else, I wouldn't bother. I mean weeks ago I didn't bother. Only lately…" Draco stops to find the right words. He wonders if he could describe how he feels to the man sitting in front of him. On the side he wonders if he even really has to, if Snape maybe really does know how he feels. "I don't love her. I know that. It's more than I've felt for any other girl, but it's not love. She's just special. An angel in disguise if I dare venture. An angel in a human costume."

Snape really does listen. At first he dreads what he's agreed to, but then he finds he remembers a time when he felt something of what this young man in front of him is feeling right now. He can't help him though. He still wonders if there was anything he could do back then when it was his turn. Instead of answering he only nods, giving Draco the go-ahead, if there is anything more he wishes to day.

Draco feels like a fool. He can't help himself though; he has to let somebody know. After a few moments, he begins again. "I don't even know how she feels. She might, she's got a boyfriend though, some guy who isn't worth her time or attention. I hate it. I hated him before; this fact doesn't help him any. He hurts her. Not physically, but emotionally. Everybody knows that's the worst. The thing is I wonder if he even knows he's doing it, and I don't know if that's better or worse. Either way she doesn't deserve him. And I've even been wondering, if I deserve her. I probably don't. I don't think I do, but … but I could do better than he." Snape is at a loss. Should he divulge his own experience? It's not something he prefers to remember, much less talk about.

Draco tries to find a reaction from his professor. Was he even paying attention? He doubts it, that is until Snape leans forward on his elbows.

"Well, if you want good advice you came to the wrong person. But this is what I can give you," he pauses, "take your chance and make an attempt. That is all I can say really. You'll always wonder, either way."

Draco leans back in his chair taking "questionable" advice into consideration. That's exactly what he wants to do no doubt, but he also wants to keep face. What if he did and things didn't go the way he wished they would. Maybe he could get modified advice, if he disclosed the identity of the girl?

"It's Ginny Weasley, Professor," but the professor only shrugs, implying that it doesn't matter, after all it all comes down to something deeper. He only hopes it could be something deeper. Or does he?


	7. To Regret or Not to Regret

CHAPTER 7

A/N: Chapter seven redone because it was a crappy chapter and I am an idiot. The first part stayed the same.

()()()()()()()()()

That is the last Ginny remembers as she wakes in the infirmary, a scream and a blur. Someone is holding her right hand. Who? She feels a hand on her head, stroking her hair. Draco? Harry, she's almost certain and absolutely not pleased. She opens her eyes to harsh light, and then proceeds to cover them with her left arm. How long has she been out? A couple of hours? A couple of days? No longer than that surely.

"Good. You're awake."

"What time is it?"

"Five in the evening."

"How long?"

"About a day. You fainted from exhaustion, or stress more like. You hit your head when you fell though."

"My ankle feels funny."

"They usually refer to that as pain. You sprained it. Got a good few bruises as well, but the important thing is that you didn't break your neck or cause yourself any other injuries." Ginny knew that prim voice. _No, oh no, why!_

"Go 'way, Hermione." moans Ginny.

"Ginny"

"What do you think gives you the right to be here anyway? Where is Ron?"

"Ginny, don't get excited. Please, don't get excited."

"You love to kick me when I'm down, don't you, Hermione?"

"Just listen to me. I know what I did was wrong. I got caught up in what I thought was something good. That is was something worth â€ something worth risking your friendship over. That was a big mistake. I really, really, really messed up, and I realize that now. Things aren't the same without you being my friend. I miss you. Why can't we just be friends again?" Hermione finishes in a whine that was uncharacteristically childish.

Ginny put her arm down, and glared at Hermione against the light. "Because you stabbed me in the back."

"You forgave Harry." Hermione reminds her and Ginny didn't know how to respond. After a minute, Hermione lets go of Ginny's hand and walks out casting Ginny one last hurtful look, and Ginny prefers not to think of how well Hermione can make a good point.

"Ginny!" Harry and Ron enter the hospital wing to see Madam Pomfrey registering Ginny a potion, most likely for the pain that she feels or will feel. Upon seeing the two beaming Gryffindors, Madam Pomfrey rolls her eyes and sighs knowing that Ginny needs her rest and she'll have time getting the boys out.

"Fifteen minutes. No more." She snaps and bustles into her office.

"Hi." Ginny greets them as they take seats next to her bed.

"Hey, how you feeling?" Ron asks. Harry takes her hand, and she so wants to forget all that she has realized to be true and stay with him in false happiness.

"Fine. A little tired."

"Should we leave?" Harry asks.

"No, I'm fine. We're all a little tired, aren't we? I'll live. Did I miss anything?"

"Snape and Dumbledore lost a bet with McGonagall and Flitwick so they had to belly dance on the head table at lunch yesterday." Ron says with a light in his eye.

"And in reality?"

"Life's been boring without you, sis." he sighs.

"Of course. Now why don't you tell me something I don't know."

"So you really feel okay?"

"I feel fine Ron, honest, but can I talk to Harry alone, for a little minute?" Ron looks at Harry for a moment and turns to his sister.

"Yeah, sure." He backs away from the bed and gets up to leave. "I'll just wait for you in the corridor. Okay, Harry?"

"Yeah, Ron." They waited until Ron was out of hearing range before looking at each other.

"What's up, Ginny?"

"Hermione paid me a visit earlier. In fact she was just left no less then 3 minutes before you came."

"Look, when Hermione and I met the other day, we weren't –" Ginny cut him off raising her hand.

"I know. I was being stupid. What I want to say was that Hermione came in here earlier, and she said something that made me think. I forgave you, but shunned her and that was wrong of me. The truth of the matter is that we're all a bunch of hormonal teenagers and I should have expected it but Hermione and I are closer than that. We mean more to each other than any of this. So the next time I see her I'm going to apologize and hope I that she smarter than I wasn't."

"That's great, but why couldn't you say that in front of Ron?"

"Well, there's more. Harry," and the tone of her voice lets him know what's coming.

"Why?" It shows in his eyes and voice that she needs to say no more and he knows, but can't understand.

"Why else, it wasn't meant to be."

"'Wasn't meant to be' my arse. Give me a real reason."

She takes in a great breath, "Because – because it's not right. Because the first time it was fine and dandy, and perfect and expected, but the second time it was all lost and it can't be gained back. And it's not you're fault, and Hermione's, and it isn't mine. It's just the way it is."

"You're wrong." Harry's eyes becoming hard.

"Don't tell me that. I'm not. It's true and –"

"I love you."

"You don't... know what love is. Not fully, not now. We were great friends and we were infatuated and we were lost and we were forced and if you don't see it now, you will soon."

"You didn't just that." But she had, and it hurt her as much as it had him. A part of her regretted everything that came out of her mouth in the last five minutes and wanted to take it back and another part of her knew – or at least hoped – it was the right thing.

Harry got up with enough force to knock the chair down, standing stiff and rigid he walked out leaving her to finally let the tears she had been holding back forward.

Eleven o'clock finds Draco creeping in the shadows. Earlier that day in Herbology Draco overheard Harry and Ron talking about Ginny being in the Infirmary. Only catching a part of a sentence here and there, he didn't know why she was there, and he was afraid to admit he was worried. So he resolved that he would visit her that night and try to quell his fears.

Which brings him to now, standing outside the closed doors of the infirmary and wondering if he ought to enter or go back to bed. It's really not that difficult of a decision however, because his worry and curiosity overcomes his barely-there good boy instincts.

In a moment he is creeping inside making sure nobody notices his entrance. Madam Pomfrey, of course, is not present, and there are only two occupants of the hospital wing tonight, both of their beds highlighted by a lamp on the nightstand beside. There is what seems to be a third year in the bed closest to the door on the right and Ginny is laying six beds down on the left. He keeps his steps slow and quiet not wanting to wake anyone. It's seems to take forever to reach her side. Each step feels more and more awkward, and when he is finally at her bedside he finds that he doesn't know quite what to do now.

Ginny's on her side, one arm on her side the other by her face and her blanket is up to the middle of her calves. Draco can see her left leg is wrapped and she has a bruise on her cheek and shin. He can't resist the urge to stroke a strand of her hair.

"Go 'way, 'Wheezy," she mumbles and she takes a blind, sleepy swipe inches from her face.

"Wheezy?" he asks amusedly, barely above a whisper. She opens one eye and casts a glance about before letting it land on Draco.

"Draco?" both eyes are open now looking at him

"Maybe."

"What are you doing here? What time is it?" she asks turning to lie on her back and pulling the blanket up to her nose.

"A little past eleven. Really, Weasley, are you so modest that you don't want me to see you in nightclothes?" he whispers.

"It's not that."

"Then what is it?" he laughs. Her cheeks grow vaguely pink in the lamplight.

"Well... I have... I have morning breath." Draco laughs and wonders if she could possibly look any cuter than she does right now. Well maybe if she removed the blanket obscuring half her face.

"I'm sure it won't kill me."

"Better safe than sorry. How did you know I was in here?"

"I heard Potter and your brother. Didn't hear how you made it in here though. Are you all right?"

"Oh, I'm fine, a sprained ankle and a few bruises. Nothing life threatening."

"What happened?"

"Awful kind of. I fainted at the top of the stairs. Rotten luck."

"Really."

"Yeah. I'm a free tomorrow, though. I get to miss morning classes. Not that I'm too thrilled about that. Combined what I've missed with what I haven't had the will to do lately and I've got a lot of work this weekend. It's ridiculous the amount of homework we've been given."

"Yeah. It's too bad about this weekend though. Hogsmeade is Saturday."

"It is?" Ginny asks wondering how she could have forgotten. "Oh, right. Aw." No doubt about it she would have to wait for the next one.

"It's a shame really. I was rather hoping you'd like to come with me." _Well, that wasn't so difficult was it? Yes. Yes it was._

Ginny froze. She hadn't expected that one. Oh, how she wanted to go now. No. Workâ€ could wait. No, Harry. She had hurt him enough it would be a kick in the balls to go out with Draco just a couple days later, even just as friends. People talk. But when would she get another chance? She was definitely feeling the urge to puke and whine at the same time.

"I'd love to, but I can't."

"Right. Don't want to fall too far behind in your school work right." Was it just he or did he sound like a spoiled brat. Well, that he was.

"It's just that I broke up with Harry today and I don't think anyone would take it well if I were to go off with you so quickly. Even just as friends, people get the wrong idea. But I'd really like to go with you."

_If you really wanted to you would_, he thought.

"It's all right, I understand." he tells her and standing up to leave. "I'd best be off. You need your rest."

"Yeah," Ginny mutters wanting to kick herself.

"Goodnight," whispers Draco.

"Goodnight." Ginny half whispers half calls, and he turns back to give a half-hearted smile and wave. And all she wants to do is sleep, so she could avoid thinking about how awful this day turned out to be and she didn't even have to leave the hard cot of hospital bed.

Draco walks through his dormitory past sleeping mates and into the bathroom where he then deems it safe to slump his shoulders in defeat.

**A/N:** I'm sorry I really had to change it for better or worse, I couldn't stand what it was before. I hope you liked this one better and if you didn't than I hope you understand that I couldn't stand the last chapter and I'm an idiot.


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